elimination of diseases, including overcoming the current COVID-19 pandemic which has taken lives and livelihoods."

world peace... We therefore urge to forgo spending billions on weaponries that only creates a false sense of strength and security, and instead, to invest in new challenges such as the eradication of poverty, increasing resilience to the impacts of climate change and the

Maldives: "Worryingly, the global military expenditure is increasing every day. Rather than amplifying our collective discourse on disarmament and non-proliferation, existing safeguards and commitments have been weakened. We must come together as a global community in pursuit of

The League of Arab states (Egypt): ""We have to rechannel resources used on military expenditures towards sustainable development under the 2030 sustainable development agenda."

weapon manufacturers have been deemed “essential services” in many countries."

resting upon massive investments in weapons and war and the celebration of violent ideas about masculinity. This is why the governments of the world invested nearly $2 trillion in militarism last year. It’s why even during a global pandemic, the arms trade has continued and

WILPF (Germany): ""We are facing in our world a conflagration of crises. Climate change, COVID-19, conflicts; as well as fascism, poverty, inequality, armed violence, and brutality. At the root of these challenges, among other things, lies patriarchal militarism. A world order

eradication strategies."

Research reports that global military expenditure saw its largest annual increase in a decade, reaching a total of US $1.9 billion in 2019. Now more than ever, is the opportune time to redirect portions of these funds to assist global development initiatives and poverty

Jamaica: "We are also gravely concerned at the continued reliance on and prevalence of nuclear weapons as a feature of defence, security and military doctrines. This is evidenced by the continued increase in global military spending. The United Nations Institute for Disarmament

more on dialogue, arms control and disarmament. I hope we can further reflect on the link between ongoing, excessive military expenditure and our ability to respond to global shocks like the COVID-19 pandemic."

to reduce military spending in favour of fighting COVID-19, several States have recently decided to proceed with major arms deals. The fiscal pressure created by the pandemic and the need for a quick recovery opens a window of opportunity for national security strategies based

Statement by Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu High Representative for Disarmament Affairs: "The pandemic, along with the economic shocks it is creating, has precipitated renewed reflection on the implications of unconstrained military spending. While a handful of States have made commitments

Lebanon: "The nine countries that possess nuclear weapons spent $ 73 billion last year on their nuclear arsenals. It is up 10% from the previous year. There are more than 13,500 nuclear weapons in the world owned today, most of it belong to the great powers."

The State of Palestine: "The money spent on armament could end poverty, ensure sustainable development for all, eliminate diseases. More than ever, this money is needed to help those most in need, to help the economic recovery and to fulfill the SDGs."

instead be spent on global public health, climate mitigation, and sustainable development."

Kazakhstan: "The coronavirus pandemic has also brought to the fore the flawed logic of enormous military expenditures and the modernization of nuclear arms by the leading powers. It is also obvious that our already depleted resources, further diminished by COVID-19, should

Indonesia: "A strong increase in its annual defense budget despite rising economic challenges related to Covid-19"

by increasing access to freely available vaccines and treatment. We must realize that human security and survival is more important than anything."

whereas the powerful and rich countries are squandering their resources to prove their supremacy in the arms race. Nepal believes that the resources spent on the accumulation of armament and their modernization should be diverted to achieving SDGs including health facility